1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the configuration of anyone of a plurality of devices by transferring control information thereto. The invention particularly relates to a portable controller for storing and transferring the control information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic devices are very common and are becoming more so. The popularity of electronic devices arises in part due to their ability to perform many functions using a processor with software stored in a memory. It is possible to reuse hardware designs and upgrade the device by installing new software in the memory. When the electronic device provides an output or requires an input the nature of the output and input interfaces presented to a user are supported by the software. Input/output interfaces and software change from device type to device type and vary from manufacturer to manufacturer even for the same device. Consequently, there is an enormous range of different input and output interfaces with which persons who wish to use the different functions of a range of electronic devices have to familiarize themselves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,411 describes a system in which a smart card is inserted into a device. The smart card controls which of the possible transactions performable by the device to which the user has access.
EP-A-0,626,635 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,326 relate to universal remote controls. The remote controls are able to control any one of a number of devices. However, they merely allow the user to remotely operate predefined functions of the device.
GB 2,296,584 and GB 2,296,801 describe a way of making devices appear familiar to a user. The user establishes user interface preferences which may be stored on a network or portable device. The preferences can be transferred from the portable device to an application device to change the application device""s user interface attributes. Each user interface attribute is associated with a biological sense of a user (visual, audio, etc.). The user interface attributes associated with the visual sense relate to font type, font size, menu order preferences, window size, location of icons, patterns, colors and preference for analog or digital gauges or display graphs. Those preferences for user interface attributes which are common to multiple application devices are automatically reusable. Those preferences for attributes which are similar to but not held in common with other application devices are used as a basis to predict preferences for other application devices. These documents are concerned with how an application device can vary the appearance/presentation of its user interface to a user so that it appears more familiar. They are concerned with adapting how a device presents itself and not how it responds to user input.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,781 describes a computer system which is intended for use by a number of persons. The input user interface (a handwriting or voice recognition system) is customized to accommodate the personal preferences of each user. Each user""s preferences can be stored on a separate PCMCIA card. The card adapts the device to convert a personal input (voice or handwriting) to a standard form reflecting the information content of the input.
It is not always easy to learn how to use the functions of a new device or to understand how to use the functions of a familiar device in unfamiliar circumstances. In particular it is not easy to understand how to use an input interface to perform a function if the input interface is unfamiliar or the accessible functions are unfamiliar. For example, a remote control for a television in a hotel room in a foreign country may be difficult to use as the content of the input interface is unfamiliar because the buttons of the control have different positions and different functions from manufacturer to manufacturer and are labelled in a foreign language. As another example, a personal computer or workstation which is not configured to have a familiar functionality including familiar applications and content will be difficult to use.
There is also a trend to add value to electronic devices by providing more functionality. Unfortunately, the provision of more functions often makes the control of the device more difficult and the input and/or output interfaces more complex. Advanced users of the electronic devices may wish to have access to all the functions at all times, however, normal users may prefer to have access to a more limited range of functions or access to functions with less features in return for a simpler interface or ease of use. For example, on a video recorder one user may only normally want to use the play, rewind, fast forward and stop functions whereas a second user may in addition normally want access to all the recording functions. As another example a user using an unfamiliar software application such as an unfamiliar or unpersonalized version of a word processing application would like to use their own personalized or familiar shortcut key strokes.
Once a user has set up a device to reflect his or her preferred functionality he or she may be reluctant to use the same or similar device which does not reflect those preferences.
Currently the onus lies with the user to adapt to each new product""s functionality. It would be desirable to make electronic devices easier to use by reducing the burden placed on a user to adapt to each device. It would be desirable to make it easier to learn how to use a new device. It would be desirable to make it easier to make a familiar device easier to use in unfamiliar circumstances.
The present invention is based upon the realisation that although providing a familiar form of input or output to a device as in the prior art may engender a sense of familiarity, the user is still confronted with what may be unfamiliar functionality.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for configuring the functionality of anyone of a plurality of devices by transferring control information from a portable controller thereto, wherein the portable controller comprises: input means for receiving control information for configuring each device; memory circuitry arranged to store and retrieve control information for configuring each one of said plurality of devices; and output means for transferring to a device retrieved control information for that device and wherein each of said devices comprises: a user interface means through which the user interacts with the device, means for wirelessly coupling with the output means of the portable controller to transfer retrieved control information therefrom and control means arranged to configure the device in dependence upon the transferred control information by changing at least one of the functions provided by the device.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable controller for storing control information for a plurality of devices and for configuring the functionality of anyone of said plurality of devices by transferring control information thereto, comprising: input means arranged to couple wirelessly with anyone of said plurality of devices to receive control information therefrom for configuring another of said plurality of devices; memory circuitry arranged to store control information for configuring a particular device in association with the identity of the particular device and to retrieve control information associated with a particular device; and output means arranged to couple wirelessly with anyone of said plurality of devices and transfer thereto, retrieved control information associated with the device.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an electronic device comprising: processor means; user interface means, controllable by the processor means, through which the user interacts with the device; input means for receiving control information; and a memory for storing the received control information, wherein the processor means is arranged to read the control information stored in the memory and in dependence thereon configure the device by changing at least one of the functions provided by the device.
Functionality is how a device responds to user control. A change in functionality is a change in how a device responds to user control and may be evidenced by a technical change in what the device does and/or how it is controlled. A change of functionality may result in a change of input/output content, such as a change in control commands evidenced by a change of user interface, but it is not a mere change of input/output format, appearance, characteristics or ordering nor is it merely a change in which ones of a plurality of pre-existing functions provided by the device are accessible.
A change in what a device does or is capable of doing may be provided by changing the actual functions which are available to a user. This change may, for example, relate to any one of the following: changing the range of functions provided by the device (for example changing the mode of use of the device from complex to simple or visa versa); changing the software application which provides a particular function (e.g. word processing, email, browser); changing the content of files used in the control of software applications or the device (e.g. xe2x80x9cautoexec.batxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cconfig.sysxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cwin.inixe2x80x9d, bookmark files for a browser); or changing the device""s response to predetermined inputs.
A change in how a device is controlled may be provided by changing the control functions provided by the device. This change may, for example, relate to the type or content of the user interface. For example, the type of user interface may be changed from voice activated to keyboard or visa versa. The content of a user interface may, for example, be changed in response to reflect the change in the functions provided by the device.
Another example of a change in how a device is controlled is a change in the input required to get a predetermined response.
It is possible to supplement a change in functionality by additionally controlling which of the functions provided by a device a user has access to, although this is not part of the present invention.
According to another embodiment in which the user interface means of the device comprises an input means having a display, configuring the user interface means changing the look and feel of the input means. Thus the interface may appear the same but have a different functionality or the interface may appear different and have a different functionality.
The control information defines the user""s preferences and controls the configuring of the device. The control information may for example comprise software, settings, data or applications.
Thus embodiments of the invention provide a user with the means of automatically adapting the functionality of devices having user interfaces to suit their preferences thereby reducing the need for a user to adapt to devices.
Embodiments of the invention allow the user to determine the control information stored in the portable controller.
According to another invention, not currently claimed but forming part of this application, there is provided a system for configuring anyone of a plurality of devices by transferring control information from a portable controller thereto, wherein the portable controller comprises: an input for receiving control information for configuring each device ; memory circuitry arranged to store and retrieve control information for configuring each one of said plurality of devices; a first user input interface; and an output for transferring to a device retrieved control information for that device and wherein each of said devices comprises: a user interface through which the user controls the device, means for coupling wirelessly with the output of the portable controller to transfer retrieved control information therefrom and control means arranged to configure the device in dependence upon the transferred control information by replacing or augmenting the device""s user interface with the portable controller""s user input interface.